2013 Female Pilgrims Must Have Male Guides Or Risk Being Barred From Performing Hajj.

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) yesterday warned that female intending pilgrims for this year's hajj must adhere to the requirement of a male guide or risk being barred from performing the hajj.


NAHCON spokesman, Uba Mana said at the Post-Mortem Conference on Hajj 2012 held yesterday in Abuja that such guide must be her husband or any of her relative. "The major problem we faced last year was the issue of female's Mahram. This was solved before the end of the operation, and only one female among those returned by the Saudi government could not go back for the hajj because she died. We learn a lot. Now, the issue of woman going with her husband or a relative becomes compulsory, and anybody who tries to take chances, is just like he does not want to go for the hajj." he said.

The sultan of Sokoto who is the National Amirul Hajj, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar has called the stakeholders on to do everything possible in ensuring this year hajj exercises a hitch free operation. He said the last hajj operation was nearly hindered by the issue of Muhram but it was solved later and the operations turned out to be a successful one.

The Chairman of State Pilgrims Boards forum Mamman Muhamman said the states want NAHCON to address some key issues, which including a timely allocations of hajj seats and the issue of Air carries. Key issues discoursed during the forum included pilgrims orientations and enlightenments, review of pilgrims' BTA review out-bound airlift of pilgrims and the Mahram challenges.